Their Journey Together
by SeaEmerald
Summary: If there is one thing you can choose in your life, it's the person you want to live with for the rest of your life. But life isn't always about perfection. It's about the mistakes you make and learn from along the way and the years you live by watching the people around you as well as yourself grow.


**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.**

So, this is something _different_ that I'm trying on. I've seen this idea from a fiction story in Wattpad, I _think_ , from a few years ago and I thought why not do this for my favorite couple Brandon and Stella :)?

I searched so much for that author's name but I couldn't find it anywhere. Wattpad is a pretty big fanbase.

So, this fiction is dedicated to that author who inspired me to write this story for my OTP :D

So...I _hope_ you guys enjoy it!

By the way! This story is _**not**_ chronological. In case you didn't understand what that meant, you'll understand as you continue to read it :) I tried to make it so, but it just wasn't happening. So think of it as little _drabbles._

* * *

 **A** **dmiration**

A series of excited cooes emitted from the round table as the group of friends watched the object of their interest from afar.

"Oh my god! Awwww, he's so cute!" one of them gushed.

"Stella, he's gorgeous!" another tailed.

The frightened blonde shushed them and pleaded for them to be quiet, for fear of being overhead. Now _that_ would be embarrassing. It's already embarrassing enough that she couldn't keep her eyes off of _Brandon_ _McKnight,_ the new transfer student from Brazil, South America.

 _Spanish descent._ But his accent was somehow still fluent and sounded very much American with a light _zing_ equipped with it. Nonetheless, it was all the more attractive on him.

"High school guys are still hot as hell," a remark echoed throughout the table.

Stella, however, kept staring at him from the school's canteen, a place where she _knew_ he'd come visit on a daily basis through her relentless pursuing. She glared at her friends who had the gall to call it _stalking._

He was maybe one or two years older than her, but that didn't deter her. She'll be in college soon. It's okay.

She sighed softly and hoped for at least _one_ glance from the brown-haired male. But no...guys like him are too beautiful to give out free glances.

Still...it'd never hurt to continue _admiring_ him from afar.

* * *

 **B** **iophilia**

She couldn't stop giddily grinning on the inside as he spontaneously held her hand since the middle of their date and hasn't let go since. The stroll in the park was a good idea as opposed to the movies. She enjoyed the tranquil silence better but she couldn't speak. _First date blues, I suppose,_ she sighed. There was so much that she wanted to say, so much she wanted to share, so much she wanted to-

"You're awfully quiet," he remarked while sparing her a warm glance.

She shook her head. "Just...thinking," she stuttered.

He chuckled at her nervousness. "About?" he drilled.

She blushed lightly before speaking. "Um...I was thinking..." she stopped mid-sentence when she noticed his body fully turning to face her completely.

"Yes...?" he continued in a low voice while his hand rested lightly on the mid of her back. "Do you want me to finish that...?" he teased while letting out an amused chuckle.

Her cheeks flamed with embarrassment.

"Alright, fine. I'll ask. Should we go to the movies or hit the park again for our second date?" he asked, making her eyes widen in surprise, shock, and most of all... _happiness_. Smiling at her shock, he opened his arms for her, as if trying to seek her permission...which she's already given on the day she saw him. With a joyful squeal, she jumped into his arms and grinned against his chest.

"Park!" she answered, making him chuckle once more.

Wrapping his arms around her, he patted the back of her head. Pulling back, they kept on walking at a not-so-rushed pace. "By the way..." he started, earning her attention once more. "Were you ever going to ask me out or were you just going to eye-rape me all year?"

Stella gasped before blushing into a ton of reds. "You k-knew...?!" she squeaked in surprise and incredulity. "And I w-wasn't eye-raping you!" she squeaked, making him laugh.

"Of course I knew," he rolled his eyes, answering her question, before tossing her a lazy smile. " _And_ noticed since the day I saw you in the canteen."

She gasped as she silently asked him if he was telling the truth. He smiled down at her, giving her the answer she needed, obviously not at all regretting the choice to ask her out _earlier_ this morning.

* * *

 **C** **heerleading**

She dejectedly walked out the locker room with a sad sigh on her lips. _Cheerleading_ wasn't just any sport to her or a high-school activity to her. It gave her a sense of belongingness and introduced new friends. She loved the red and blue colors along with a white star in the middle of her shirt and a matching skirt. Her hair was tossed into a high pony tail and tied with a matching red and blue accessory

She grabbed her bag, not even bothering to change into her regular clothes, obviously still bummed about today's turn of events. A screw-up and an earful later, she desperately needed a distraction.

Her eyes widened slightly when she saw the football players enter the hallway with hoots and whistles. Her eyes silently searched for one certain male and before long, his eyes brightened up at the sight of her. He laughed and waved his friends a 'see you later' before running towards her.

Seeing her try to mask her sadness, he frowned. "Hey, what's wrong? Why the long face? We won, Sunshine!" he tried to cheer her up.

"Yeah...congratulations," she smiled for him. "Well played." With a confused brow, he took her bag from her before stopping her. He wondered what happened. She was fine thirty minutes ago until-

She watched with a small smile as realization hit his eyes. The cheerleaders had been grouping a formation when her leg slipped accidentally, causing everything to fall apart. The hilarious laughs and mocking 'booooo' from the rival team made her angry, but it was her fault. After the game, her coach, although worried at first, still yelled at others collectively for screwing up even after hours of practice. Some of her fellow teammates blamed her but others shrugged it off as no-big-deal. It's not like anyone did this intentionally.

"Are you hurt though?" he asked while checking her body. She shook her head. "I should've been," she murmured. "I messed up so badly and I...," she sighed tiredly.

"So? Do you know how many games we lose in a season? Does anyone care? No. They don't. You lose, you get bummed, and thirty minutes later, you're back to normal. It's _okay_ to mess up," he said softly while lifting her spirits.

She didn't look convinced. He grasped a finger underneath her chin before lifting her face. "The only reason I played well today is because of you. You don't have to be everyone's cheerleader," he said softly, wanting to see her smile.

She blinked at his words before a slow smile burst forth on her lips at his underlying message.

 _She doesn't have to be everyone's cheerleader. She can be his own._

* * *

 **D** **aughters**

She just didn't have it anymore. She didn't. She's no longer the twenty-year-old girly fashionista who would love nothing more than a good outfit, styled hair, and, in general, dressing up.

No one mentioned to her that marriage entailed responsibilities. Love progresses into marriage and marriage reaps children.

With her infant twin _daughters_ crying for and demanding her constant attention, she barely slept two hours in a row everyday. Despite wanting to please her husband, she could barely find the energy to do it.

When she is suddenly jolted awake _again_ at the sound of one of her daughter's cries, followed too soon by the other, her maternal instincts kicked in as she strained to get up from the bed to put her daughters to sleep again.

She didn't care or bother to look at what time of the night it was because her daughters needed her.

An arm lashed itself around her waist before she fell back on the mattress with a surprised gasp. She turned her head to feel a soft, lingering kiss on her cheek. "I'll go," he whispered while silently telling her to go back to sleep. Checking the baby monitor, he instantly hopped off and went to their daughters' room.

She gratefully took up the offer in less than a heartbeat and closed her eyes once again in exhaustion. She felt herself being immersed in his arms not too long after. She slept in content after a long time as he kissed her forehead and lulled her to sleep once more by the sound of his heartbeat.

She lost count on the number of times she wondered whether marriage at barely twenty-two was okay or not. She never found her heart telling her 'no'.

Getting married too young definitely threw her in for a surprise, but she knew she'd never trade this for anything in the world. Every piece of her life is _worth_ it if it led to this moment.

* * *

 **E** **qually**

He liked to think that he loved both of his little girls equally. He did, of course, God knows he did. But, he managed to carve a soft spot for the elder twin who was the exact mini version of her mother. With blonde hair and brown highlights, amber-honey eyes, he always had a hard time refusing anything his elder daughter asked.

She somehow knew it although she was barely three years old. She reminded him of Stella so much while the younger one is a devoted Daddy's girl. Both of them are, but the younger one was a lot like him when he was younger. Calm, collected, reserved, and a little less crazy and wild.

He chuckled to himself as he walked down to his home after grocery shopping. With his daughter, who made an absolute fuss about wanting to come with him earlier, in his arms, he thought about how truly luck he was.

Like he said...he can't refuse _anything_ when it concerned the three girls in his life.

* * *

 **F** **amily**

"Brandon...wake up," Stella shook his peacefully sleeping frame anxiously. "Wake up please!" she begged while letting her true nervousness show.

He blinked sleepily before wondering why the heck he was up now. "Five more minutes, baby," he murmured with groggy voice that on any other day, she would find amusing but tonight, Stella totally lost it.

"WAKE UP, YOU ASSHAT!" she yelled sharply and in a jolt, he sat up straight in fear.

"Yes, Ma'am!" he saluted in panic before finally blinking the sleep out of his eyes. He turned to her with a pointed glare.

" _Asshat?!_ Did you just call me an _asshat?!_ " he mumbled and crossed his arms with a huff.

He stopped when he saw how terrified she actually looked. "Hey, what's wrong?" he said as his overprotective mode kicked into full drive.

"...I'm scared," she admitted while crawling over into his lap. She wrapped her arms around his shirtless frame while he blinked in confusion.

"About what?" he asked cluelessly.

"...Please don't be mad. Please don't judge me," she sniffled in his arms, making him wrap his arms tightly around her in profound concern.

"I'll _never_ do any of that, princess. You know that," he reassured her. "Tell me what's wrong,"

"I'm so scared of labor," she sniffled.

His eyes widened. He honestly never heard any woman say that, not that he fathered anyone else. Not sure of how to respond to that, he gently patted her back before his hand went to caress her two-month old pregnant belly. It's not even a belly now, just a flat stomach, but nonetheless. There was a life, the fruit of their actions, growing inside of her.

"Tell you what. I'll give you a billion dollars if you don't yell in your labor," he humorously joked.

She blinked and pulled back to stare at him. "Seriously?" she asked in confusion.

"Seriously," he said firmly.

She pouted. "But...but that's...that's impossible!" she whined.

He chuckled. "Exactly."

He smiled and kissed her sweetly before his expression turned serious. "You have _nothing_ to be afraid of," he reassured her. "I'll never leave your side and will be with you till you deliver."

"Am I a bad mother if I'm scared...?" she asked him and pleaded him to tell her honestly.

He smiled faintly. "Sunshine...do you know how many women in this world are apprehensive about labor? It's not an easy task for _any_ woman. No, it doesn't make you a bad mother. It only makes you a stronger woman. Us men can't even come close to tolerate pain as much as women can," he said sincerely.

"You'll do great. You're worried about the pain but think of the child that will come from us," he urged. "Our _family,"_ he breathed.

She smiled beautifully for him at the thought of their future child and their growing family. She didn't know the gender or anything like that since she was still too early in the pregnancy. Seeing her smile, he couldn't help the grin that donned his face too. The young couple shared a kiss before cudding against each other and heading back to sleep.

Stella felt her nerves ease as he held her against him. She honestly didn't know what she was so worried about. It was honestly childish, no pun intended, that she was worried. She won't go through this alone. _I'll always have him,_ she smiled gratefully before snuggling deeper into him.

 _Whatever pains she's afraid of going through...they sure as hell will be worth it._

* * *

 **G** **old**

"Hmm. What about your favorite color?" Stella asked while eating her mango-flavored ice-cream in bliss.

"A dark gold," he smirked while scooping up a bite of his mint-and-chocolate-flavored ice-cream.

"Dark gold?" she asked in confusion.

He chuckled. "Yeah. Gold. Why?"

"I don't know...gold is a feminine color," she laughed. "And dark gold just sounds weird to say."

"Maybe," he agreed. "But it's bound to become your favorite color when you have a beautiful girlfriend with the exact shade of eyes."

Stella blinked before blushing furiously. "Stop that," she mumbled while he leaned forward to kiss her cheek in amusement. They resumed playing 20-20 questions and she couldn't even stop grinning for a single second.

* * *

 **H** **ome**

"WEEEE!" she squealed happily while throwing her body straight on the plush mattress. The bed bounced with her weight as she joyfully jumped and down.

Shaking his head at the commotion, he entered the master bedroom before leaning against the door frame. His eyes refused to blink when he saw her jumping up and down the bed in delight and joy. He moved towards the bed before crossing his arms.

"Excuse me, you're quite loud," he smirked.

Stella opened her eyes before glancing at the male down below. "Brandon, Brandon, Brandon! We're going to live together! Us! Us! Us!" she laughed before continuing to jump.

Shaking his head, he decided to just let her be. There was still a lot more unpacking to do and she _clearly_ wasn't going to be of any help.

She jumped off the bed when she saw him leaving. Running up to him, she jumped on his back. She wrapped her arms around his neck and legs around his torso.

"What the-?!" he grunted before falling forward. He grunted, trying to catch his balance. "What the hell?!" he glared while placing his arms in a way to support her by her thighs.

She totally ignored his peeved voice. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she grinned giddily while kissing him hard on the cheek. "Why didn't you ask me to move in with you earlier?!"

He rolled his eyes. "If I had known you were such a crazy ass, I would've waited a little longer."

She laughed in his ear before kissing his cheek again and hugging him tightly.

His anger dissolved into a smile as he carried her out of the bedroom while wondering the same question himself.

* * *

 **I** **nvincible**

She lay back on her bed, smiling to herself like a lovesick loon, recalling the day's events.

Last night, she tried her best to think of _any_ weakness, no matter how mild or insignificant, of him. But she couldn't.

She told him this morning like an idiot that she thought he was like a brick wall, hardly fazed by anything.

He laughed in response and shook his head. "Wrong, baby. There is _one_ thing that can faze me," he smiled softly while grasping her chin and looking at her dead in the eye as his eyes silently told her the answer as well.

* * *

 **J** **ealousy**

"Brandon, wait! What the hell are you doing?!" she furiously whispered while covering her face in total embarrassment from the amused looks given by her friends who passed in the hallway.

"Save it!" he snapped while tightening his hold on her wrist before cutting sharply into the side where a light brunette stood laughing with his friends. _OH my sweet Lord,_ she prayed while pulling up her hoodie and pulling the zipper all the way up.

"YOU! How dare you?!" Brandon growled angrily, making the other brunette turn around. The latter raised an eyebrow before eyeing Stella who was hiding her boyfriend. She silently mouthed an apology to him and he resisted the urge to smile, slowly understanding what was going on here.

"What did I do?" he asked.

Brandon growled at his audacity to ask that. "This is my girlfriend and you will _never_ touch her again!" he snapped while pulling Stella close by the shoulders.

The other male looked at him amused. "Well, this is my boyfriend and it's very nice to meet you too," he introduced with a hidden smile while pointing to another male beside him.

Stella face-palmed at the turn of events. Honestly, _this was so embarrassing!_

Brandon went slack at that and blinked a few times when he saw the two males looking pretty chummy with each other.

Stella decided to intervene, having had enough of this humiliation. "Sorry, Jay. We have somewhere else to be," she mumbled. "Don't we, honey?!" she glared at the brunette before dragging Brandon away by the collar while covering her face. Jay chuckled in amusement and winked before turning to his own love interest.

Taking him outside, she covered her face. "I can't believe that just happened!"

Brandon threw up his hands with incredulity. "Why the hell didn't you tell me that he was gay!"

"Oh snap. You did not just say that! Did you even give me a chance?! You were too busy throwing me left and right like a ragged doll!"

He glared at her before shaking his head. "He was getting a little too friendly with the hug, in my opinion!" he defended himself.

Stella shook her head, a small smile forming on his lips. They've just been together for a few weeks but it doesn't take long for him to get jealous. But...he never directed his jealousy towards her. Instead of accusing her, he gave out multiple warnings to other guys to stay the _hell_ away from his girlfriend.

As annoying and _embarrassing_ as that was sometimes...deep down, she couldn't help but feel special.

* * *

 **K** **night**

He climbed into her room one fine midnight while her parents were downstairs sleeping. He took a silent breath before tiptoeing to her room where she peacefully slept. His eyes narrowed with interest when he saw her outfit.

 _Nice..._ he chuckled as he stared almost shamelessly at her cute shorts and camisole bra. _Damn,_ he mused for a few seconds before remembering why he was here in the first place. He sat slowly on the edge of her bed before suddenly clasping a hand on her mouth.

Her eyes opened in a flash as she instantly let out a muffled scream. He switched the night light immediately and showed her his face and hissed for her to _shut up!_

"B-Brandon...?" she whispered in shock before sitting up straight. "What the hell?! What are you doing here?" She gasped as she looked at herself before instantly covering herself. "OMG! YOU LOOKED!" she nearly screamed but he clasped a tight hand around her mouth again.

"SHUT UP!" he hissed angrily while placing a finger to his lips.

"What the heck?! Why should I?! You broke in here, you jerk! It's only natural for me to start screaming!" she whispered. "Oh my god," she mumbled before clutching her sweating face and calming her heart down.

"Why are you here?" she asked breathlessly while fanning herself with her hand.

He breathed calmly before itching a little closer to her. "Happy birthday, Stell," he said softly, making her freeze. She looked at the time and saw that it was exactly midnight. She turned to him and slowly smiled, no longer mad at him. "This was why you were here? You could've told me in the morning," she chuckled.

He shook his head. "I...I couldn't sleep," he breathed out. "Here. This is for you," he said while pulling out from behind him a small box with a red ribbon wrapped around it.

Stella's eyes watered while he gave it to her sheepishly. It was translucent, so she could pretty much see what's inside. "A cake?" she grinned back as he rubbed the back of his neck. It was a little one and was still cold. It was obviously black-forest, her favorite cake of all time.

Placing the cake aside, she wrapped her arms around him. "Thank you," she smiled as a tear slipped down her cheek. She cherished his gift so much, especially the way she felt for him. He gladly held her against him. "I have one more, but I'll give it to you depending upon how you answer the next question."

She pulled back before shaking her head. "I don't need anything."

"I know," he smiled. "But I want to ask you this. If...wait. Uh...oh screw it," he muttered under his breath. "Stel...the past few weeks have been nothing short of amazing. I'm not great at things like this, but will you go out to dinner with me?" he asked with hopeful eyes.

Her eyes widened as she covered her mouth with her hands. "Wait. This isn't a prank, isn't it?" she narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "Brandon, it's not funny."

"Why would this be a prank?" he asked in confusion.

"...Maybe because you've made it a daily habit to prank me every damn day," she muttered sourly.

He chuckled. "True. But...this one isn't, Stel. I've never stooped that low."

Her eyes blinked with surprise as a smile burst forth on her lips. "Really...?" she asked one more time. He nodded. "Yes. I'll go out with you," she grinned happily before launching him into another hug again. He laughed giddily as he hugged her tightly.

"Here. This is for you," he stated softly before handing her a small, rectangular, velvet case. She blinked as she held it. Even an idiot could tell that it was a jewelry box. "I can't take this," she breathed without even opening it.

He placed a palm over hers before speaking. "Please? For me? I would've given you either way but I didn't want to creep you out before asking how you really feel," he admitted.

She giggled. "You're such a dork." He started to laugh when she suddenly clasped a hand around his mouth. Her eyebrows shot up to the roof when she heard _footsteps_ near her door.

"Sweetheart?" her mother called out. Stella let out a muffled squeal as she immediately hid the gifts away and jumped out of bed. "You gotta hide!" she furiously whispered and he got the hint. WIthout giving him proper notice, she dragged Brandon by the collar before stashing him inside her closet silently.

"Stella!"

She gasped before adjusting her hair and wiping her face of any sweat. She hopped to the door before opening it. "Hey, mom," she greeted breathlessly.

"Whom were you talking to? I thought I heard you scream earlier," Luna confronted.

"Um...no one, mom! It was...it was just a...nightmare! Yeah, that's it!" the blonde lied and prayed for this night to be so over.

"Oh okay," Luna smiled. "Happy birthday, sweetheart."

"Thanks, mom. Good night."

"Good night. Oh and by the way, the days of hiding your knight-in-shining-armour are _so_ over," Luna smirked, leaving Stella to gasp.

"How'd you...?" the blonde asked in amazement.

"Let's just say that this was my story twenty years ago," Luna chuckled before kissing her daughter's forehead. "I want him out in ten minutes," she warned. "Or I'll be giving you the _bird and bees_ talk."

Stella's face scrunched in disgust and embarrassment. She could just imagine the brunette prick in the closet getting a kick out of this. "EWW! NO! I'll send him out," she nodded immediately before her mother left. The blonde locked the door before leaping straight to the closet where an amused smirk rested on his lips.

"I hate you," she mumbled.

His eyes ran through her figure. She obviously forgot how undressed she truly was until she noticed him staring. "Stop staring at me!" she whispered before jumping behind him. He chuckled. "Go, go, get out!" she hissed while pointing to the window.

"Your mom said ten minutes," he whined childishly.

"Well, I say zero!" she pointedly told him. "Get out!"

"Fine," he sighed before going towards her door. She grabbed his arm in total horror before asking what the hell he was doing. "Didn't you want me to leave?" he asked in confusion.

She firmly shook her head. "Not this way," she said before pointing to the window. " _That_ way."

He stared at her incredulously, "You want me to jump out of a window?!"

"Jump, swan dive, do whatever suits you. Just get out the same way you came from. My dad's gonna _kill_ me if he sees you here!"

" _Swan dive?!"_ he flinched at the mere thought. "You do realize that climbing up and falling to my death are two, very different things, right?" he asked her just to make sure. Seeing the exasperation on her face, he mumbled before going to the window. "Okay, okay, damn." He stepped on the other side of the window before latching onto the pipe he used to come here.

"If I die, my spirit will haunt you for the rest of your life," he glared, making her roll her eyes.

He slowly climbed down before she called his name again. "What?" he snapped in irritation.

"Good night," she said softly before waving at him. His anger dissolved slowly as he smiled up at her. "Happy birthday, Sunshine."

And now, for some reason...the dangerous climbing up and down was definitely _worth_ it.

* * *

 **L** **oss**

She rushed into his room without bothering to knock, only to catch him shielding his face away from her. His back was to her but she could see him wiping furiously at his eyes.

"Brand...?" she called softly before reaching out to touch his arm. He didn't turn, obviously not wanting her to see him like this.

"Leave. _Please,"_ he choked out with great difficulty. He was the source of her strength. He _cannot_ let her see him like this.

She refused to budge being the stubborn girlfriend that she is. She jumped in front of him but this time, he didn't bother to move anywhere. His eyes reflected pain, sadness, and longing.

"I'll never leave you," she whispered while moving forth to hug him. "Your grandma wouldn't want this," she chided him gently while tightening her hug.

Just like that, he broke down once more before wrapping his arms around her tightly. He cried heartbreakingly and buried his head deep into her shoulder. His chest rumbled against hers with each cry he emitted.

Tears slipped out of her eyes as well when she heard and saw the one thing she never wanted to hear or see from him. "It's okay. I'm here. I'm here," she whispered in comfort while he cried sorrowfully.

* * *

 **M** **ayhem**

He rushed up the stairs, out of breath. He knocked on the door multiple times before an annoyed voice opened it. Musa huffed and crossed her arms. "Dude, you've got _some_ nerve to get your ass in here."

He panted from practically running across and around the city for his girl. "Please, Musa. Please just let me see her. I have to talk to her."

"You cheat on her-"

He interrupted her in between. "Please. I would never hurt her in a million years. Please, Musa," he pleaded.

Musa sighed before moving to the side. "You're lucky you're cute. Just please, _NO_ sexual intimacy on my bed whatsoever."

He chuckled through his tears. "Deal," he nodded before sprinting upstairs, taking two or three at a time.

He pushed the door open when he heard cries behind it. "Stel!" he breathed out but stopped when he saw the room thrashed and littered with balled-up tissues and scattered Kleenex boxes.

She looked up and tried to hatefully glare at him and tell him to _get lost,_ but all she could feel was heartbreak.

"I can't believe she let you in," she snapped bitterly while getting from the bed. Her face was swollen and damp and sweaty from sticky, hot, salty tears.

He rushed towards her but stopped in front of her, resisting the urge to take her in his arms. "I would never cheat on you, you know that."

"Correction: I _thought_ I knew that," she cried. "You and that Mitzi girl looked pretty chummy together!" she screamed.

"Sunshine, you know how she feels about me. I told her so many times that I have you," he paused for a second before continuing. "But she never listened. She kissed me out of the blue and I did push her away," he pleaded for her to believe him.

She remained silent for a moment and gazed into his warm, honest brown eyes. The same eyes she fell in love with. "You're so freaking lucky that I love you!" she snapped. "But you have a lot of making up-" she let out a surprised squeal when he pushed her back on the bed in sheer happiness.

"I love you," he laughed before interrupting her with a passionate kiss. It was clearly escalating to another level when-

"I said no sex on the bed!" an annoyed voice hollered from downstairs, interrupting the couple.

The young couple glanced at each other before starting to laugh.

"Our place?" he whispered lowly, a soft growl emitting from the base of his throat.

* * *

 **N** **irvana**

"I think...I think..." she stammered fearfully with her eyes starting to glisten at the prospect of rejection or worse.

"Hmm?" he smiled at her just like he always did. This was his usual way of silently saying that she had _nothing_ to worry about.

"I'm...I'm..." she gulped. His smile faltered for a second when he noticed the slick layer of sweat forming on her forehead.

Concerned now more than ever, he gently held her in his arms. "Tell me, baby. What's wrong?" he asked softly while turning up the air-conditioner using the remote on the nightstand.

"I love you!" she suddenly blurted. His eyes widened while his lips parted in shock. She felt disappointment as his body slowly turned still as a rock. Biting her lip from trying not to cry from the rejection she'll face in no less than ten seconds.

"You...what...?" he asked in shock while turning her to face him.

"...I...I...I really l-love you, Brandon," she whispered softly. He watched her trembling lips move with each syllable she uttered. He registered the words in his brain before happiness broke out on his face. She never _really_ said this to him. It was just tossed around here and there, but he was never really sure whether or not she meant it.

He smiled at her nervous eyes before leaning forward to kiss her cheek. "I have to tell you something too," he spoke against her skin. He lifted himself slightly before his hands ventured to take out a small velvet box from his pockets. He fisted his hand around the box before pulling it out completely. She watched with bated breath. Anxiety pooled in her heart. _He's not ready for that,_ she blinked sadly, trying not to cry.

"This is most definitely _not_ the most romantic place or time for this," he sighed while referring to them cuddling in blankets in their pajamas. "But...I've wanted to do this for a long time now," he breathed before opening his hand and popping the box open.

Her eyes widened to the size of saucers when she saw the diamond-cut ring inside. He smiled at her because he knew that she won't say no. His heart didn't bother with that possibility. "Te quiero mucho, Sunshine. No matter where I am, you'll always be in my heart," he breathed softly as her eyes started to water with pure joy and happiness. "Will you marry me?" he asked while gazing deeply into his eyes.

"YESS!" she squealed and grabbed his collar to kiss him passionately while he slipped the ring onto her finger.

She'll never want anyone or anything more than him. He completed her and is the center of her universe. She _never_ felt this happy or at sense ever before in her life and the only person responsible for it was... _him._

Was there ever any question?

* * *

 **O** **opsie**

"I'm home!" he called out as soon as he entered. Shutting the door behind him, he looked around for her, knowing her work hours ended just a little while before him.

"Oh hell no!" a cry resulted in from the kitchen. He raised an eyebrow when he heard plates breaking, metal clashing, and howling of a cat (they didn't own a cat).

Smiling to himself in amusement, he rushed into the kitchen, wondering what apocalypse she caused now.

"What the-?!" she shrieked as she grabbed the fire extinguisher from the wall before spraying it on the stove like a total maniac.

"What the hell are you doing?!" he yapped as soon as he entered the kitchen, looking around in horror. "This is a mess!"

"I was trying to make pasta!" she defended herself while spraying the fire extinguisher around.

He stared at her incredulously. "PASTA?! All this for _pasta?!"_ He made a mental note to never let her in the kitchen again. If she nearly set off a fire alarm with pasta, she'll burn the house down with any other receipe.

"Get out! I'll cook for today," he grumbled. "And the days that follow."

She pouted before hanging up the fire extinguisher on the wall. "Please, it's no big deal!"

He turned to her with a raised brow. "You're such an idiot," he mumbled ridiculously, calming his heart down. "You'll give me a heart attack one day, Sunshine..." he told her, referring to nearly dying out of fear just minutes ago.

He took off his jacket and tie before telling her to place his briefcase aside. She obeyed him and took them to the living room temporarily before rushing to the kitchen again. She wrapped her arms around him from the back as she watched him take out vegetables and cut them.

"Your incredible ability to cook is almost criminal," she huffed.

"And your inability is enough to cause a catastrophe," he retorted right on cue, obviously pissed.

She laughed at his peeved tone. "Brannndoooonnnn," she sang, leaving him to glare.

"No singing. Clean up the mess you've made," he snapped with authority.

He suppressed a small fond smile when she let go of him and started grumbling all the way while trying to scrub the messes and spills off.

* * *

 **P** **arents**

"Why are you so scared?" she giggled as she clung to his arm. "You're sweating!"

He rolled his eyes and shot a small glare at her for tossing him into a predicament like this. "Easy for you for say," he remarked darkly. "You're not the one having to seek approval."

She giggled once more and kissed his cheek as he sulked all the way. She took him into the house where her _parents_ were waiting expectantly.

The brunette gulped when he saw her father eyeing him sternly. Stella did mention that her mother was laid-back and easy-going but it was her father who was strict and a bit of a overprotective martinet when it came to his daughter's relationships.

"Mom, dad, this is Brandon," she cheerfully introduced her nervous boyfriend to her parents.

"A pleasure to meet both of you," Brandon smiled politely while extending his hand as a formal courtesy. His girlfriend's mother pushed the hand down before standing up and hugging him.

"I've never seen my daughter so happy," Luna smiled, easing Brandon right away. Stella blushed at the soft, loving look she earned from him. _Guess her mother is indeed laid-back after all,_ he thought to himself, not that he ever suspected it. Her mother had _always_ been supportive of him for some reason.

Her father, however, was a whole another chapter. "Radius Solaria. I hear you've applied to the CSI."

Brandon took a deep breath before glancing at Stella for a split second before turning to her father. "Yes, sir. I join this Fall."

"I see," her father nodded in mild approval, a little thrilled on the inside at the fact that his daughter didn't date a man with no vision in his life. "What about your future plans?"

Brandon raised his arm to place it on Stella's back. "Any plan I make will only be with her and _will_ include her," he said meaningfully. Her eyes glistened with emotion but his gaze wasn't on her. He no longer appeared rattled or nervous as he gave a straight answer to her father without thinking.

After a few more flurries of small talk, everyone settled in the dining room for lunch.

Brandon casually looked up from eating and caught her father's eye. Somewhere within the hard exterior, the brunette male could detect a nod of approval and a faint smile of welcome.

* * *

 **Q** **uiz**

"Alrightyyyy!" Stella clapped her hands before flopping in the opposite couch as him. "Ready?"

He looked thoroughly annoyed and just frustrated with her. "What are we? Five?!"

"Great!" she replied, ignoring his sarcastic tease. "First question! Would you rather I be completely hairless or as hairy as a gorilla?" she asked.

He scrunched in dislike. "Eh...isn't there an option for just the right amount of hair?"

"Nope!" she laughed.

"I'd go with hairless. Wear a damn wig or something but I don't want to eat hair every time I kiss you," he shuddered. She laughed at his obvious distaste for the question.

"Did you ever dislike me?" she asked as she read the question off of her phone.

"Yeah," he snorted. "With this question, for example."

"Awwww, you big softie," she gushed while going up to him and plopping down on his lap. "Next question!" she exclaimed while getting comfortable in his embrace. "What would you do if you ever woke up as me for one day?" she asked sweetly.

"I'd take my clothes off and beg my fiance to screw me," he smirked. She gasped at his ultra-crude language before smacking his chest harshly.

"Why, you...! You pervert!" she screeched while he started to laugh. Now _this_ was his type of quiz. He continued to laugh, despite her pleas to stop.

"Alright, alright. Enough with your dumbass questions. My turn," he smirked while wounding his arm around her waist. He took her phone before tossing it aside and she knew she landed herself in trouble she can't get out of.

"Has anyone ever seen you naked besides me?" he teased, but his tone also held an unmistakenable twinge of seriousness.

She scrunched her face in disgust, making him laugh again. "What the hell kind of a question is that?!"

"You asked me ridiculous ones while I'm asking you _very_ important, relationship-vital questions," he rolled his eyes.

She smiled widely before teasing him. "Yes." His eyes instantly turned feral dark at her answer. Any trace of playfulness was instantly gone as he grabbed her protectively against him.

"WHO?!" he growled demandingly, making her laugh at his reaction. It was honestly so cute to see him all riled up because in some ways...it showed her how much he really loved her.

She wrapped her arms around his neck before her lips traveled to his ear. "My parents, when I was a baby," she replied with a giggle.

She erupted into a fit of giggles when he cursed under his breath. Her heart warmed though because somewhere underneath that dark, brooding glare he gave her for playing him like that, she could detect a smile of immense relief.

* * *

 **R** **etreat**

"Didn't you ever wonder?"

Stella glanced at her friend Musa in question. "About what?"

Musa shrugged. "Long-distance relationships...especially ones involving different countries?"

"Why would I need to wonder about that?" the blonde laughed.

"Because Brandon is not from here. Didn't you ever wonder if he'll go back or something?" Musa stated as if it's the most obvious thing ever.

Stella blinked at the question because honestly...it never crossed her mind. She obviously _knows_ he's not from this country. But...she really didn't know whether or not he'll go back. "No...I didn't..." she stated slowly with a lost expression on his face.

The next time she sees him, she asks him. "Do you plan on going back to Brazil after graduating from high school?" she asked directly and to the point without wasting time. This was something she _needed_ to know for her own sanity.

He blinked at her straightforwardness before pondering on the question. He remains deep in thought because he honestly didn't know what to say...

"I uh...I never really thought about it..." he admitted.

"So..." she trails off unsurely and frowns at him. "What do you plan on doing then...?"

This time, he doesn't take that long to reply. "I was hoping to stay here," he finally says.

"...You are...?" she asks him, wondering if she misheard it or something. "...Why...?" she asked, curious to know. They really haven't been dating that long, so she didn't really know why he thought what he thought.

"I suppose I have something here keeping me from leaving," he said with a simple shrug while sipping on his coffee.

* * *

 **S** **now**

"What?! No way!" she flinched stubbornly. "It's freaking freezing outside and you want to pelt me with snowballs?!"

"Uh...yeah...?" he grinned sheepishly.

"Yeah, well, pelt yourself!" she rolled her eyes before sitting in the living room and closing her eyes. Why would _ANYONE_ have the nut brain to go out in this freezing weather?

Steaming hot chocolate with cotton-white marshmellows sounds like the perfect-

She shrieked instantly when she felt something cold collide against her face.

She heard a roaring laughter instantly but was too pissed to be amused by it. She opened her eyes in a flash when the cold substance touched her neck. "AHH!" she shrieked before dusting the snow off from her neck and jumping up and down, trying to remove all the cold.

"BRANDON!" she yelled angrily before starting to chase him around the house.

"Baby, we can do this here or take it outside," he smirked. "Personally, I don't want our home to flood with cold water," he laughed and jumped over the couch to avoid being strangled by her.

He instantly made a dash outside followed by her, despite stating that she wanted to be nowhere near the cold. "GET BACK HERE, YOU LITTLE ASS!" she yelled while crouching on the snow-covered grass before fisting a ball. She held it tightly in her hand before throwing it at the laughing brunette.

He chuckled and tried to dodge it but it hit a side of his face. His laugh fell short as he quickly dusted the snow off with distaste.

She yelped in victory and danced a few twirls before picking up more snow from the ground.

"Oh now you're gonna have it!" he smirked while breaking out into a full sprint. "Get back here, you!" he laughed as she shrieked and ran away from him while giggling. They both laughed like little kids and ran around the neighborhood, pelting each other with snowballs and hopelessly lost in each other's world.

* * *

 **T** **imeline**

"I'm S-S-Stella," she stammered as she took his extended hand.

"I know," he told her with an enchanting smile. "So when should we get together? I think it's better if we start the project as soon as possible?" he offered, making her mutely nod in agreement.

They met up in the library the following afternoon to start working on it. However, their discussions turned from awkward silences (from her mostly) to liveliness as they talked like casual friends.

They started to hang out soon after that, not just for the sake of academics, but also for _themselves._ A few weeks later, they met up in the same library for some occasion.

Before bidding goodbye for the day, he coughed and cleared his throat to get her attention. She turned to see him so serious all of a sudden with no hint of the smile she's yet to become accustomed to.

"So, Stell...is dinner still on?" he asked nervously while rubbing the back of his neck, confirming to make sure.

Her eyes widened as a thousand fireworks exploded in her heart. "YES!" she squealed before covering her mouth in total embarrassment, earning a few irritated stares from the people in the library. "I mean...yes," she mumbled shyly, trying to main a little of her dignity. He laughed at how adorable she truly was before telling her that he'll pick her up in the evening.

He already asked at midnight for her birthday, but wanted to make sure that she answered with a brain of conscience.

And indeed, he _did._ He kept his word.

Fifteen hours later, he's seen dropping her off with a mesmerizing good night kiss before asking her if she's up for another date.

Fifteen days later, they've officially started dating as boyfriend and girlfriend.

Fifteen months later, they're engaged.

Fifteen years later, he tells her, "It was one _hell_ of a journey."

* * *

 **U** **topia**

He stood near the door frame of his daughters' bedroom and quietly watched them sleep. They were both six years old. Being a father was one of the best experiences in his life, but sometimes...he wanted to cry.

He wanted to cry so badly at the time that flew by in a whoosh. He moved silently to their beds before kissing each of their foreheads. He smiled faintly at seeing them clutch a respective stuffed animal toy.

On some days, he just wished that time never went anywhere. He prayed for time to pass by slowly or better yet, just sit still. His daughters were growing up and frankly, so was he. At thirty-one, he couldn't have asked for a more perfect life. It was almost like a fairy tale, so unrealistic and _perfect._

He smiled as he closed the door behind him and let them sleep. He went to his own room and was stopped by his beautiful wife who was combing her hair, ready to turn in for the night. She smiled as he came in. "Are they asleep?" she asked quietly before putting the hair brush down.

He, for some reason, seemed happy but also exhausted at the same time. He leaned into her touch as she wrapped her arms around him. "You okay?" she asked while brushing her fingers through his mane.

He nodded and smiled at her. "Yeah..." he sighed in nostalgia. "Just...wondering how _fifteen_ years passed by so quickly..." he whispered, remembering the clearly vivid memory of the day he first saw her. "It was one _hell_ of a journey," he remarked with a short laugh while hugging her to himself.

* * *

 **V** **acation**

"Wow..." she breathed as she looked around the landscape around her. "You grew up here all your life...?" she asked while turning to him.

He nodded, pleased that she liked his home. His parents moved back to Brazil but he wanted to bring her here and show her his world. _Or,_ the world he once _used to_ live in.

What better occasion to come here than their honeymoon?

He was trilingual. Aside from English, his fluency with Portuguese and Spanish helped them move around in this country.

"How could you give up all this...?" she asked in awe. She would love to live in a place filled with mountains, rivers, and valleys all around.

"It's not giving up when it comes to you," he said before descending his lips down on hers as they kissed under the rays of the setting sun.

* * *

 **W** **orship**

She sat quietly in the church and prayed peacefully. Even though it wasn't a Sunday, she made sure to come to the church at least thrice a week. It gave her a sense of peace although she didn't really have to come here to get it.

She had a wonderful life. A warm and loving husband who cherished her every second of his life.

 _That's_ whom she prayed for. The well-being, happiness, and long life of her husband was all she ever craved in life. She also hoped to be the reason for that.

Maybe they'll start a family of their own soon or maybe they won't. For now...he'll be the reason she comes to church.

* * *

 **X** **-Mas**

"Daddy...this is my boyfriend," the young woman before him introduced the male in her arms. "We've been dating for two years."

Brandon's eyes widened as his glare instantly darkened. "You're just telling me this now?!" he scowled angrily as he huffed. "You have _got_ to be kidding me," he muttered before leaving the room abruptly without any word.

Stella smiled at the youth before murmuring a soft apology to him. "Have a seat. I'll be right back," she told her dirty-blonded daughter as well as the boy.

"Mom..."

Stella shook her head before kissing her worried daughter's forehead. "You know how your father is, honey. Don't worry, he's not really mad at you."

With another smile, the older blonde went to the master bedroom upstairs. She sighed as she went in without bothering to knock on the door.

He was sitting at the edge of the bed with his head in his hands, clearly upset. "Some Christmas, huh?" he sulked in disappointment as soon as she entered.

Stella sighed before going to sit beside him. Despite being in his mid-forties, he was still attractive with a rugged, rough, and manly face.

"Why are you so upset?" she asked softly. "It's our daughter down there-"

"With a boy!" he yelled while standing up straight.

Stella threw her hands up in surrender. "What? You want her to be alone for life?!"

"No, but..." he turned to her for help. "She's _my_ little girl," he whispered with tears glistening in his eyes.

Stella stood up with concern in her eyes. She understood his pain and frankly...she felt it too. She can't believe her daughter grew up so fast. It seemed like just hours ago that they got married and had two twin daughters. "Brand...twenty years ago, you were in her exact shoes, seeking approval from my parents," she told him gently.

"Why wouldn't she tell us before? _Two_ years, Sunshine, and she tells us _NOW?!"_ he asked.

"At least she told us. She's twenty years old and frankly...she has the right to make a decision," Stella softly told him with a sad smile. "As her parents, we should support her."

A sad, lone tear flowed down his cheek as he hugged his wife close to his heart. "I thought she was my little girl," he sniffled.

"And I always will be, daddy," a soft, feminine voice told him from the doorway. He looked up to see his precious daughter walking toward him with tears in her eyes.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I didn't know if I was ready to be in a relationship. I wanted to be sure first before letting you and mom know," she told him.

"I love you, dad," his daughter told him. Brandon pulled her in for a hug before the three lost themselves in a group hug.

"I love you more, sweetheart," he whispered while kissing her forehead. "I'm sorry," he told her.

"No, you're the _best_ father I could ever have and...no matter what happens, you will always be important to me. If you and mom don't like him, then I'll trust both of your judgments," she told them both.

Brandon felt a tear slip down his cheek as he hugged his daughter again. He composed himself soon after Stella rubbed his back up and down.

"C'mon. I don't like him being alone downstairs," he sulked before marching out of the room.

"Dad!" she laughed while shaking her head. Stella chuckled before joining her daughter downstairs.

Brandon quietly interrogated his daughter's so-called boyfriend who looked like he's going to pee any second. But when questioned about feelings towards his daughter, the young lad didn't falter. He replied with an air of confidence. _Just like how I did before,_ Brandon thought fondly, allowing a small smile to crack onto his lips. The young man's eyes widened as he caught the pleasant, accepting eyes from his girlfriend's rigid father.

Brandon looked over to Stella, who was smiling at him with pride. He smiled back. He continued looking at her, his affection for this woman never wavering even for a single second. Each day, it only grew stronger.

It wasn't long before his second daughter brought a boy home. Brandon always had to resist the urge to pummel both of these boys to death.

Before long...the girls told him that the dates of their weddings.

He didn't know how many days and nights he cried in Stella's arms. Before long, his children left to start their own families.

But...he didn't know how long it took to accept the reality. Truth is...he never did.

It felt like just yesterday that he held both of his girls in his arms, minutes after they're born.

It felt like just yesterday where they both uttered their first words, one of them saying 'mama' and the other crying for 'dada'.

It felt like just yesterday that they cried over spilt ice-cream and demanded a new one.

It felt like just yesterday that they started on their first day of school to Pre-K.

It felt like just yesterday that he grounded them for misbehaving.

It felt like just yesterday that they graduated and went off to college.

 _Just yesterday..._

He wasn't depressed. Not at all. He was happy. But times did exist where he grew nostalgic as he watched his daughters' respective families grow. They soon had children too but...

Nothing will ever be the same for him.

And it all started with a festive holiday that turned _not-so-festive_ anymore.

* * *

 **Y** **outh**

She blushed in plea for mercy as he chuckled against her neck from behind. Amused at her expense, he continued to laugh while leaving a trail of kisses along her collarbone. He breathed softly and held her by the waist as they both gazed on at the beautiful ocean in front of them.

"Are you happy?" he whispered while stroking her bare waist. He contemplated on which was more beautiful. The orange-red sunset with streaks of colors from the rainbow or the woman in his arms dressed in a two-piece, cyan-blue swimsuit. _Definitely her,_ he admitted in a heartbeat while kissing her exposed, tanned shoulder.

She nodded in response to his question. She was happy. _SO_ immensely happy. When she confided in him during the first few days of their honeymoon how scared she was of their marriage, he wasted no time in giving her the guarantee that he'll never leave her side and that he'll forever love her.

And now, thirty years later, his promise to her from that day still remained unbroken as he sat by her side. Their feelings for each other were still as fresh and youthful as they were from the day they professed their love for each other.

The two smiled at each other and shared a sweet, loving kiss before resuming back to watch their young grandchildren run around the lawn with excited squeals.

* * *

 **Z** **any**

It wasn't normal. It wasn't even abnormal. It was _beyond_ that.

It was out-of-the-blue, bizarre, downright _zany,_ and completely eccentric.

Perhaps God isn't cruel after all.

Since entering old age, they both only wanted one thing.

 _To not be able to witness either of each other's death._

So strong their love for each other had actually been that their wish was granted miraculously. And now, immersed in flowers, they both rested peacefully forever and for all eternity while their children, grandchildren, friends, and family mourned for their demises.

Passing away on the same day, they never had to bear the unquenchable pain of each other's quietus. As if respecting their wishes somehow, a _single_ casket was lowered to the ground while onlookers watched sadly.

With their hands joined on the inside, they both never noticed the tears or heard the pleas for them to come back as their souls rose to the heavens of eternal peace.

 _ **...**_

* * *

I think this is the longest _one-shot_ I posted. Hmm...I'm pretty sure. Like I said before, the story is _**not**_ chronological at all. I tried my best in making it so :/

I'm sorry if it was too lengthy or just weird, but I would LOVE to know what you guys really think.

Please review...?

This was typed in 2-3 hours, so there might be grammatical errors because I didn't proofread it :P Forgive me for that pleaseeee!

OH and one more thing: Brandon says 'Te quiero mucho' in Spanish somewhere and it technically means 'I love you so much'. I'm not super fluent in Spanish. It's my secondary language and something I learned from school and in my free time, so I might be wrong. Who am I kidding? Of course I'm wrong.

 _My dearest Spanish speakers,_ please let me know! My laptop doesn't have accents but I'm pretty sure that 'Te' has an accent on top of 'e'. Maybe even _quiero_ too? Maybe I'm wrong, so let me know :)!

Someone once suggested to me to make Brandon of a Spanish descent, so that's where I got the idea from! Thank you! I didn't want to use Spanish dialogues because I was afraid I'll mess up on them. I don't want to offend or insult anyone by saying things I'm not really sure of.


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